Why Keep Two?

*A retelling for children, based on **Portals to Freedom** by Howard Colby Ives (George Ronald, 1937).*

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From her window, a lady watched 'Abdu'l-Bahá walking up and down the street below, talking quietly as He went.

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Then an old man came shuffling along. His clothes were torn, and his trousers were so thin and worn that they could not keep out the cold. 'Abdu'l-Bahá saw him at once, and called him over with a warm smile.

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What happened next made the lady catch her breath. 'Abdu'l-Bahá stepped into a quiet corner of the porch, out of sight — and took off His own trousers, and gave them to the old man to wear. Then He said a kind goodbye and went right back to His walking, as if nothing unusual had happened at all.

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Later, someone asked Him why He had given his own clothes away. And 'Abdu'l-Bahá answered with a question that is easy to remember:

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> Why should I have two, when there are so many who have none?

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He could not be happy keeping two of something while another person had nothing. That is a small story, but it teaches a big and beautiful thing: when we have more than we need, the kind thing is to share.

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*This is a retelling for children. For the fuller account, see ["Why Should I Have Two?"](/stories/pf-why-should-i-have-two).*

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